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Obi-Wan Kenobi
Statistics Name Obi-Wan Kenobi or Ben Kenobi Species Human Weapon Lightsaber Positions Padawan Learner (Before the Movies - Episode I) Jedi Knight (Episode II) Jedi Master (Episode III) High Jedi General/Master (Episode IV) Ghost (Episode V-VI) Affiliations Rebel Alliance, Jedi Order, Galactic Republic Padawans and Masters Padawans: Anakin Skywalker: I,II,III, Luke Skywalker IV, V (in Ghost form) Masters: Qui-Gon Jinn: Before I - to end of I, Yoda: Before Qui-Gon era - Qui-Gon era Status Died: Death Star (1): Stuck down by Vader in a Lightsaber duel. General Obi-Wan Kenobi is a fictional character in the Star Wars universe. He is one of the protagonists in the Star Wars series; along with Anakin Skywalker, R2-D2, and C-3PO, he is one of the few major characters to appear (in some form or another) in each of the six Star Wars films. He is portrayed in the original trilogy by Sir Alec Guinness and in the prequel trilogy by Ewan McGregor. Obi-Wan first appears in Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, seemingly a mysterious hermit known as Ben Kenobi. He is revealed as a Jedi Knight, who then tutors Luke Skywalker to use the Force. In the prequel films, he appears as a young Jedi, progressing from apprentice, to knight, to master on the Jedi High Council. __TOC__ Original Trilogy A New Hope Obi-wan is first seen in Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, where, within the narrative, he provides a shaman figure who acts as council to the orphan character Luke Skywalker, and represents the hero archetype The Power of Myth, paperback, 1989. Joseph Campbell, Bill Moyers, 978-0385247740. The Shaman (also known as the Swordmaster) has influence within stories and myths that derives from “personal experience, not a societal ordination” pg 123 The Power of Myth, paperback, 1989. Joseph Campbell, Bill Moyers, 978-0385247740. Within the story, he is first seen rescuing Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) from a group of Tusken Raiders who ambush him while he is looking for the droid R2-D2 (Kenny Baker). Obi-Wan is known to the inhabitants of Tatooine as Ben Kenobi, an eccentric hermit who lives in the Jundland Wastes in a rustic hovel (he had assumed this identity to hide from the Empire). Obi-Wan tells Luke about his father Anakin's past as a Jedi, and gives him Anakin's lightsaber. When Luke asks Obi-Wan about his father's death, Obi-Wan twists the truth, and says "a young Jedi named Darth Vader... betrayed and murdered your father." R2-D2 then plays the message from Princess Leia Organa (Carrie Fisher) asking for Obi-Wan's help in delivering the schematics of the Death Star to her foster father on Alderaan. Obi-Wan invites Luke to accompany him to Alderaan and aid the Rebellion against the Empire, but Luke initially refuses. After the death of his aunt and uncle, Obi-Wan takes young Luke under his wing in order to teach him the ways of the Force. An action again tying into the concept of the Shaman who provides " “not only a physical instrument but a psychological commitment and psychological center” pg 180 The Power of Myth, paperback, 1989. Joseph Campbell, Bill Moyers, 978-0385247740 Obi-Wan and Luke buy passage to Alderaan on the Millennium Falcon, a spaceship owned by Han Solo (Harrison Ford). Before they can reach Alderaan, it is destroyed by the Death Star on the orders of Grand Moff Tarkin (Peter Cushing). The Millennium Falcon is captured by the Death Star's tractor beam. As part of an escape attempt, Obi-Wan disables the tractor beam so that the Falcon can escape with the rescued Princess Leia. Obi-wan confronts Darth Vader in a lightsaber duel. As Luke and the others make a run for the Falcon, Obi-Wan allows Vader to strike him down. Although he does not make any further appearances in the film, he speaks to Luke via the Force in the the film's climatic battle scene and advises, "Use the force, Luke". Luke turns off his X-Wing fighter's targeting computer, and, trusting in the Force, he fires his proton torpedoes and destroys the battle station. Luke then hears Obi-Wan's voice telling him, "The Force will be with you, always". The Empire Strikes Back Obi-Wan's appearances in the sequel are more limited. The character appears as a Force ghost at the start of the film and instructs Luke Skywalker to go to the Dagobah system for further training with the only surving Jedi Master Yoda (Frank Oz). After Luke has been further trained in the teachings of the Jedi, Obi-Wan once again appears in the Dagobah swamp to try and dissuade him from going to Cloud City, where Vader holds Han and Leia hostage. He feels his young apprentice is not yet ready to face Vader one-on-one and fears the results would be fatal. After Luke insists on facing Vader, Obi-Wan warns Luke that he would not be able to interfere, and Luke would have to face him alone. Return of the Jedi In Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi, set one year later, a dying Yoda confirms to Luke that Vader is indeed his father. After Yoda's death, Obi-Wan appears on Dagobah as a Force Ghost to explain to a heartbroken Luke why he did not tell him the truth about his father, and to confess that Leia is his sister. Obi-Wan admits that his own pride had been partly to blame for Anakin Skywalker's fall from grace: "I thought I could instruct him just as well as Yoda. I was wrong." He then tries to explain to Luke that killing Vader is the only way to destroy the Empire and save the galaxy. At the end of the film, Obi-Wan's ghost appears alongside the ghosts of fellow Jedi Yoda and a redeemed Anakin on the Forest moon of Endor, watching over Luke and his comrades as they celebrate the destruction of the second Death Star. Prequel trilogy The Phantom Menace In the first of the prequel trilogy Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace, the character is seen as a Jedi Padawan aged 25 years. At the start of the film, Obi-Wan accompanies his master on a mission to Naboo. Within the narrative, the character of Obi-Wan now represents the hero archetype and his Qui-Gon Jinn (Liam Neeson) represents that of the shaman. There they meet Jar-Jar-Binks, a Gungan. After making an unscheduled landing on Tatooine, Qui-Gon meets Anakin Skywalker (Jake Lloyd), a young slave owned by Watto, a junk dealer, who shows tremendous potential with the Force. Qui-Gon later discovers that Anakin has the highest number of midi-chlorians known and therefore believes the boy to be the prophesied "Chosen One" who would bring balance to the Force by destroying the Sith; Qui-Gon asks the Jedi Council that the boy be trained as a Jedi. Obi-Wan is also amazed by Anakin's unprecedented Force potential, but initially believes the boy is too old and has too many emotional attachments to become a Jedi. The Jedi Council agrees, and forbids training for Anakin, in whom they sense a great deal of fear, and a clouded future. During the film's climatic battle scene Qui-Gon is killed by Darth Maul who is in turn killed by Obi-Wan. Obi-Wan runs to his Master's side, and the dying Qui-Gon pleads with him to train Anakin to become a Jedi. Obi-Wan promises that he will. For his heroics in defeating a Sith (making him the first Jedi in 1,000 years to do so), Yoda personally bestows to him the rank of Jedi Knight. Obi-Wan then says that he would take it upon himself to train Anakin whether the Council allowed him to or not, for he promised Qui-Gon he would do so. Yoda reluctantly agrees, but warns Obi-Wan to be careful with the troubled boy.Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace Novelization, 1st edition paperback, 1999. Terry Brooks, George Lucas, ISBN 0-345-43411-0 Attack of the Clones In Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones, set 10 years later, Obi-Wan has become an experienced Jedi Knight. By this time, his relationship with Anakin (Hayden Christensen) is strained; the young Padawan has grown powerful but arrogant, and believes that Obi-Wan is trying to hold him back out of jealousy or fear. He and Anakin are tasked with protecting Padmé, now a Senator, after an attempt is made on her life. Obi-Wan tracks the mysterious assassin to the planet Kamino, and learns about a massive clone army that the planet's inhabitants are building for the Galactic Republic. He then meets with the bounty hunter Jango Fett (Temuera Morrison), the template for the clones, and figures out that he is the one responsible for the assassination attempts on Padmé. Obi-Wan attempts to apprehend Fett, who escapes to Geonosis with his unaltered clone Boba (Daniel Logan). Obi-Wan follows them by placing a homing beacon on Fett's ship, Slave I. On Geonosis, Obi-Wan learns of the Confederacy of Independent Systems, also known as the Separatists, a conspiracy of star systems that wants to secede from the Republic. The renegades are led by former Jedi Count Dooku (Christopher Lee), who was once Qui-Gon's master. Obi-Wan is captured shortly after sending a message to Anakin. While Obi-Wan is in captivity, Dooku reveals that the Galactic Senate is under the control of a Sith Lord called Darth Sidious. Later, Anakin and Padmé arrive on Geonosis to rescue Obi-Wan. They are themselves captured, however, and all three are sentenced to death by the Geonosians. The executions are prevented by the timely arrival of Jedi and clone reinforcements, led by Jedi Masters Mace Windu (Samuel L. Jackson) and Yoda. Obi-Wan and Anakin confront Dooku and engage him in a lightsaber duel. Dooku strikes Anakin with Force lightning, then turns the deadly barrage onto Obi-Wan, who easily blocks the attack with his lightsaber. The two duel and Dooku outmanoeuvres Obi-Wan, wounding him on both his left arm and leg. Dooku is about to deliver a killing blow when Anakin recovers from the lightning and blocks Dooku's attack. Obi-Wan gives Anakin his lightsaber to help him in the duel. Dooku and Anakin fight a short duel, and Dooku cuts off Anakin's right lower arm (which is later replaced by a robotic prosthetic). Yoda arrives and fights Dooku as well, but the Sith escapes; he creates a distraction by nearly killing Obi-Wan and Anakin.Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones Novelization, 2003. R. A. Salvatore, ISBN-X Revenge of the Sith In Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, set three years after Clones, Obi-Wan is now a Jedi Master on the High Jedi Council and a general in the Army of the Republic. Anakin, now a full-fledged Jedi Knight, remains his partner. Obi-Wan and Anakin are sent on a mission to rescue Supreme Chancellor Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid), who has been kidnapped by Dooku and Separatist leader General Grievous (Matthew Wood). When they find the captive Palpatine, Dooku engages them both in a duel. Obi-Wan is rendered unconscious by Dooku, but Anakin later defeats him. At Palpatine's urging, he executes the defenseless Count, in violation of the Jedi Code, which forbids killing an unarmed prisoner. Palpatine assures Anakin that what he did was right, because Dooku was "too dangerous to be left alive". After returning to Coruscant, Yoda soon leaves to assist in the Battle of Kashyyyk, and not long after, Obi-Wan is called away to Utapau to confront General Grievous by himself. Anakin meanwhile is angry at the Jedi Council for not granting him the rank of Master, and is also troubled by visions of his secret and pregnant wife Padmé dying in childbirth. With Obi-wan and Yoda, his two major obstacles to luring Anakin to the dark side far away, Palpatine, who is secretly Darth Sidious, continues to tempt Anakin to the dark side of the force, promising that the power of the dark side is infinite, and can offer abilities that the Jedi cannot, such as preventing death (a power that Anakin has been seeking since the death of his mother, Shmi, and even more now that he's been having similar nightmares about Padmé). Anakin eventually succumbs to Sidious and he takes him as his new master, becoming the Sith Lord Darth Vader. After finding the Separatist encampment, Obi-Wan engages Grievous in combat and kills him with a blaster after a long, hard fought battle. Not long after, however, Obi-Wan's own clone forces turn on him. Unbeknownst to Obi-Wan, and the rest of the Jedi across the galaxy, Palpatine had issued Order 66, directing clone troopers to turn on their Jedi generals. Obi-Wan survives the attempt on his life and escapes by stealing Grievous' star fighter and rendezvousing with Senator Bail Organa (Jimmy Smits) and Yoda aboard Bail's ship, the Tantive IV. Along with Yoda and Bail, Obi-Wan returns to Coruscant, where he and Yoda discover that every Jedi in the Jedi Temple has been murdered, even the younglings. Obi-Wan reprogrammes a beacon, which had been instructing all remaining Jedi to return to the Jedi Temple (where they surely would be killed), by instructing them to scatter across the galaxy and remain in hiding. A heartbroken Obi-Wan then watches a video showing Anakin leading the assault on the temple and accepting Darth Sidious as his master. Subsequently, Obi-Wan and Yoda split up to confront the two Sith Lords, Darth Vader and Darth Sidious. Obi-Wan wishes to fight Sidious, to avoid having to kill his friend and former pupil. Yoda, however, insists that Obi-Wan is not strong enough to fight Sidious, and would have to accept that Anakin had been "consumed by Darth Vader." Unaware of his former Padawan's location, Obi-Wan visits Padmé and tells her what Anakin has done. He also reveals that he knows who the father is. A horrified Padmé refuses to accept what Obi-Wan tells her and refuses to help him find Anakin, knowing that Obi-wan will attempt to kill him. She sets out to confront Anakin herself, but Obi-Wan secretly stows away in her ship. Padmé finds Vader at the volcanic planet Mustafar and confronts him. When Obi-wan emerges from Padmé's ship, however, Vader immediately suspects that Padmé has betrayed him, and uses the dark side to choke her into unconsciousness. Obi-Wan confronts Vader, briefly stopping to check on Padmé, and defeats him in a long and epic duel, Vader survives long enough to be rescued by Palpatine, and is later placed in the iconic black body armor first seen in the original trilogy. Obi-Wan assists in hiding Anakin's children after Padmé dies in childbirth. Luke is put on Tatooine with Owen Lars (Joel Edgerton) so that Obi-Wan can look after him in secret, while his twin sister Leia is put on Alderaan in Bail's care. Yoda, unsuccessful in his confrontation with Sidious, then tells Obi-Wan that he has more training for him: the spirit of Qui-Gon would teach him how to be a "Force ghost" – to be able to retain his identity through the Force and commune with the living after death. Expanded Universe Obi-Wan Kenobi appears extensively in the Star Wars "Expanded Universe" of comic books, novels, and video games. This material portrays the events in the character's life not portrayed on film. Clone Wars series Obi-Wan is a major character in the animated microseries, Star Wars: Clone Wars, which covers the period between Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith. He is voiced by James Arnold Taylor. Among Obi-Wan's adventures in the series are a battle with the Intergalactic Banking Clan and an air strike on the planet Rattatak. In the series' final episode, he and Anakin are sent to the Outer Rim of the galaxy, a journey that climaxes in a quest to save the planet Nelvaan from the Techno Union. It is also revealed that he is granted a seat on the Jedi Council during this time. Novels Obi-Wan's exploits before, during, and after both the prequel and original trilogies are detailed in many Expanded Universe novels. Pre-''Phantom Menace'' Obi-Wan's life prior to The Phantom Menace is portrayed mostly in Jude Watson's Jedi Apprentice series, which follow his adventures as Qui-Gon's Padawan. Notable events in the series include battling the Dark Jedi Xanatos, falling in love with fellow padawan Siri Tachi, and going on his first independent mission. Circa Clone Wars His heroism just before and during the Clone Wars is portrayed in novels such as Outbound Flight, The Approaching Storm, and The Cestus Deception. Post-''Revenge of the Sith'' Obi-Wan's life between Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope is, so far, portrayed mostly in Jude Watson's The Last of the Jedi series. Set roughly a year after the fall of the Republic, the series follows Obi-Wan as seeks out possible survivors of the Great Jedi Purge, most notably Anakin's former rival, Ferus Olin. The books also portray Obi-Wan adjusting to life as a hermit on Tatooine, and quietly watching over the infant Luke Skywalker. Post-''Return of the Jedi'' Obi-Wan appears in spirit form in many novels set after the destruction of the Empire in Return of the Jedi. In The Truce at Bakura, he appears to Luke to warn him about the threat presented by the Sri-ruuk; in Heir to the Empire, meanwhile, he bids farewell to Luke, explaining that he must abandon his spiritual form to "move on" to a new, higher plain of consciousness. Video games He appears in many video games, particularly as a playable character in all three Lego Star Wars, The Phantom Menace and Revenge of the Sith video games, Star Wars: Obi-Wan on Xbox, and Star Wars: Battlefront II and Renegade Squadron in the Battlefront series. Comic books Star Wars: Republic In this series, Obi-Wan faces many grave threats while fighting against the Separatists. Among other notable storylines, he is kidnapped and tortured by Dooku's minion Asajj Ventress before being rescued by Anakin ("Hate & Fear"), and apprehends corrupted Jedi Master Quinlan Vos ("The Dreadnaughts of Rendili"). Throughout the series, he grows increasingly wary of Palpatine's designs on the Republic — and his influence on Anakin. Star Wars: Visionaries In the non-canon story "Old Wounds", set a few years after the events of Revenge of the Sith, Obi-Wan confronts a resurrected Darth Maul on Tatooine to protect Luke Skywalker. The duel ends when Owen Lars shoots and kills Maul; he then warns Obi-Wan to stay away from his nephew. Through the Force, Obi-Wan reassures Luke that he will be there for him when needed. Inspirations and parodies The character is loosely inspired by General Makabe Rokuruta, a character from The Hidden Fortress played by Toshiro Mifune, whom series creator George Lucas also considered casting as Obi-Wan.Star Wars DVD audio commentary Mad magazine parodied the original film under the title Star Roars and included a character named "Oldie Von Moldie"; a grizzled 97-year-old whose lightsaber runs on an extension cord. The registry on the plane Indiana Jones escapes in during the beginning of Raiders of the Lost Ark is "OBCPO," a reference to both Obi-Wan Kenobi and C-3PO. The nightclub shown in the beginning of Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom is called "Club Obi-Wan." The Super Mario Bros. Super Show! episode "Star Koopa", being a spoof of Star Wars (which had the original trilogy, comprised with episodes IV, V and VI, complete at the time), also had its own parody of Obi-Wan Kenobi called Obi-Wan Toadi. The 1998 Animaniacs episode "Star Warners", which spoofed Star Wars, featured Slappy Squirrel portraying a parody of Obi-Wan Kenobi as "Slappy Wanna Nappy". In the Family Guy episode "Blue Harvest", Obi-Wan is parodied by the character Herbert. In the short film Thumb Wars Obi-Wan is parodied by the character Oobedoob Benubi. In the film his full name is Oobedoob Scooby-Doobi Benubi, "the silliest name in the galaxy" In the 1977 Star Wars parody Hardware Wars, Obi-Wan is parodied by the character "Augie Ben Doggie". In French Internet subculture, "Obi-Wan Kenobi" became an expression meaning "your question does not make sense", and is said when one does not know what to answer but wants to respond in an amusing way. It was popularised by Les Guignols de l'info, which made a parody of the French version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? in which for every question, the fourth choice was invariably "Obi-Wan Kenobi" (and the question invariably nonsense). Humorous multiple choice questionnaires made on the internet since often featured an "Obi-Wan Kenobi" option (e.g. How big is the Eiffel Tower?: 1.quite big 2.not so big 3.I don't know 4.Obi-Wan Kenobi). Curiosities The Council of the Commune Lubicz in Poland, passed a resolution No. XXVIII/373/04 dated 30th Dec 2004 giving the name Obi-Wan Kenobi to one of the streets in Grabowiec village. The street was named in 2005. The spelling of the street name, Obi-Wana Kenobiego is the genitive form of the noun in the Polish language: the street of Obi-Wan Kenobi. 'ul.' is an abbreviation of ulica, the Polish for street.http://starwars.pl/ulica_kenobiego_eng.php An interview with Leszek Budkiewicz, who lives on the street, and who (being the Council memeber himself) managed to convince the Council to name the street after Obi-Wan Kenobi. See also *Qui-Gon Jinn *Anakin Skywalker *Luke Skywalker *Jedi *The Force *Ajim References * The New Essential Guide to Characters, 1st edition, 2002. Daniel Wallace, Michael Sutfin, ISBN 0-345-44900-2 * Star Wars Episode I Who's Who: A Pocket Guide to Characters of the Phantom Menace, hardcover, 1999. Ryder Windham, ISBN 0-7624-0519-8 * Star Wars: Power of Myth, 1st edition paperback, 2000. DK Publishing, ISBN 0-7894-5591-9 * Star Wars: The Visual Dictionary, hardcover, 1998. David West Reynolds, ISBN 0-7894-3481-4 * Star Wars: The Phantom Menace: The Visual Dictionary, hardcover, 1999. David West Reynolds, ISBN 0-7894-4701-0 * Star Wars: Attack of the Clones: The Visual Dictionary, hardcover, 2002. David West Reynolds, ISBN 0-7894-8588-5 * Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith: The Visual Dictionary, hardcover, 2005. James Luceno, ISBN 0-7566-1128-8 * Revised Core Rulebook (Star Wars Roleplaying Game), 1st edition, 2002. Bill Slavicsek, Andy Collins, J.D. Wiker, Steve Sansweet, ISBN 0-7869-2876-X * Star Wars Roleplaying Game Core Rulebook, 1st edition, 2000. Bill Slavicsek, Andy Collins, ISBN 0-7869-1793-8